 FBI agents guard the entrance to the Holy Land Foundation in Richardson, Texas, in December 2001 (Courtesy New York Sun) |
While the Council on American-Islamic Relations has contended its designation by federal prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator in a major terror-finance case is unjustified, the group has admitted in a legal brief it solicited donations in the wake of the 9/11 attacks for the Holy Land Foundation, the convicted American fundraising arm for the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.
The admission – a previously unnoticed declaration in talk-radio host Michael Savage's lawsuit against CAIR – was attached to a brief filed this week in the Muslim group's suit against a father and son who carried out a six-month undercover investigation in which they obtained 12,000 pages of incriminating documents and made secret audio and video recordings. Lawyers for P. David Gaubatz and Chris Gaubatz filed a motion to dismiss the case this week that contends CAIR has no claim because it does not legally exist.
Gaubatz lawyer Daniel Horowitz, who also represented Savage, attached a copy of CAIR's admission with the filing of his motion this week.
In the Savage case, Horowitz asserted CAIR "exploited 9/11 as it put on its website a picture of the World Trade Center in flames and below it a call for donations that was linked to the Holy Land Foundation website."
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CAIR's Northern California branch, while denying the organization "exploited" 9/11, admitted on page 15 of its reply that its national office "offered a link to websites for Muslim and non-Muslim organizations collecting donations for 9/11 survivors, including Holy Land Foundation's website."
In May 2007, CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a scheme to funnel more than $12 million to Hamas through the Holy Land Foundation. In the case, federal prosecutors also listed CAIR as a member of the U.S. branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, a worldwide jihadist movement based in Egypt that birthed al-Qaida and Hamas and other terrorist groups and seeks to establish Islamic law in America.
"In the height of cynicism, (CAIR) basically knew the money they were collecting in the name of terrorist victims was going to create more terrorist victims," said "Muslim Mafia" co-author Paul Sperry.
 CAIR's "Donate to NY/DC Emergency Relief Fund" was a direct hyperlink to the website of Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, convicted in a scheme to funnel more than $12 million to the terrorist group Hamas (Courtesy Americans Against Hate |
Steven Emerson's Investigative Project on Terrorism revealed the Holy Land Foundation provided at least $5,000 in revenues to CAIR as it was starting up its operations. CAIR, in turn, solicited funds for the foundation.
 Check from Holy Land Foundation to help launch CAIR |
As "Muslim Mafia" recounts, FBI wiretap evidence from the Holy Land case showed CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad was at an October 1993 meeting of Hamas leaders and activists in Philadelphia.
At that time, Awad was public relations director for a group created by the Muslim Brotherhood called the Islamic Association for Palestine, the IAP. At the Philadelphia meeting, IAP and Holy Land Foundation officials developed a scheme to disguise payments to Hamas terrorists and their families as charity.
The creation of CAIR can be traced back to the meeting, when IAP and Holy Land officials, according to a transcript, discussed the need to give their agenda of supporting violent jihad abroad while slowing institutionalizing Islamic law at home a "media twinkle."
CAIR was first mentioned by name in Muslim Brotherhood documents as part of the July 30, 1994, agenda of a meeting of the Brotherhood's Palestine Committee.
The minutes reveal the purpose of the meeting was to discuss "suggestions to develop [the] work of CAIR" and its "coordination" with the IAP, Holy Land Foundation -- which shared its Texas offices with the IAP -- and the Washington, D.C.-based United Association for Studies and Research, or UASR. Along with IAP, UASR was co-founded by the deputy chief of Hamas' political operations, Mousa Abu Marzook.
Marzook led the Brotherhood's Palestine Committee in the America before he was designated by the U.S. as a terrorist. He and other participants at the July 1994 meeting discussed satisfying the "need for trained resources in the media and political fields" to "exert more efforts in the advancement of the Palestine Cause from the Islamic aspect."
CAIR was incorporated less than two months later.
CAIR's suit against the Gaubatzes claims they stole sensitive material from the group's Washington office under false pretenses. A federal judge in Washington issued a restraining order Nov. 3 barring the Gaubtazes from further use or publication of the material and demanding that they return it to the Muslim group's lawyers. But the FBI stepped into the case Nov. 23 with a warrant to examine the papers and recordings, apparently as part of its concern about CAIR and its terrorist links to Hamas. The bureau cut off ties to CAIR in response to the Islamic group's role in the Holy Land Foundation case.
IMPORTANT NOTE: WND needs your help in supporting the defense of "Muslim Mafia" co-author P. David Gaubatz and his son Chris against CAIR's ongoing legal attack. Already, the book's revelations have led to formal congressional demands for three different federal investigations of CAIR. In the meantime, however, someone has to defend these two courageous investigators who have, at great personal risk, revealed so much about this dangerous group. Although WND has procured the best First Amendment attorneys in the country for their defense, we can't do it without your help. Please donate to WND's Legal Defense Fund now. Thank you.
Previous stories:
Muslim group asks Obama for protection
Experts: Lawsuit could end 'cancerous pro-jihad group'
'Muslim Mafia' lawsuit response: Legally, CAIR doesn't even exist
Lawmakers ask IRS to investigate CAIR
CAIR boasts of influence on media after Fort Hood
CAIR speaker to Muslims: OK to attack Fort Bragg
Army shooter's mosque run by Muslim Mafia
Judge orders: Return 'Muslim Mafia' docs
CAIR files suit against 'Muslim Mafia' author
What happened to CAIR's headliners?
Surprise! Guess who's the real 'anti-Muslim bigot' in D.C.
CAIR coverage ignores terror ties
Congress targets 'Muslim Mafia'
Meet White House adviser who supports Islamic law
CAIR's 'flying imams' strategy: Sue everyone
'Flying imams' rewarded for ominous airline 'stunt'?
Marriott urged to cancel CAIR banquet
D.C. Muslim group's shocking al-Qaida ties
Yes, CAIR is planting 'spies' on Capitol Hill
'Moderate' CAIR to feature radicals at annual banquet
Myrick: CAIR won't renounce Hamas ideology
Guess who's probing 'Muslim Mafia' now
CAIR attempts to torpedo Capitol press conference
House anti-terror caucus wants CAIR probed
'Now we have proof' jihadis infiltrating D.C.
CAIR spent $160,000 to silence Savage
CAIR branch boasts of getting DVD censored
FBI asked to investigate Muslim group
Islam investigator ejected from D.C. Muslim conference
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Claim: CPS ignored child abuse at U.S. mosque
Private terror probe: 50 mosques in 50 days
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Get an insider's view of CAIR's banquet
Another day, another CAIR defendant served
Lawsuit's claim: CAIR no longer even exists
Surprise! See CAIR officials get slapped with summons
CAIR's demand for fees from Michael Savage rejected
U.S. 'must oppose' Islamic 'anti-defamation demands'
Islamic takeover of U.S. is already under way
Report: Muslims ripped off by CAIR
Savage lawyers aim at CAIR paymasters
Judge sides with CAIR against Michael Savage
CAIR seeks dismissal of Savage lawsuit
Islamic attacks on Savage target advertisers
CAIR backs film praising convicted terror supporter
CAIR: Civil rights advocates or radical Islamists?
Savage lawsuit calls CAIR 'vehicle of international terrorism'
Islamic attacks on Savage target advertisers
Radio host condemned for 'Islam is a cult'
Feds name CAIR in plot to fund Hamas
'Terrorist apologist' CAIR to meet in Capitol
Muslim sensitivity training for 45,000 airport workers
Did CAIR founder say Islam to rule America?
Doubts grow over Muslim lawmaker's loyalty
American citizens aided Hamas terror
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CAIR files FOIA on Bush wiretaps
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CAIR to GOP: Repudiate Tancredo
CAIR distributes Quran banned as anti-Semitic
CAIR: Censure Israeli leader for remarks
CAIR gets apology for Muslim remark
CAIR leader convicted on terror charges
CAIR pressures National Review to nix ads
Fox's '24' airs Muslim disclaimer
CAIR presses Fox TV on Muslim terrorists
Jackie Mason calls Islam 'murderous' religion
Muslim group sues critic for $1.35 million
U.S. Muslims silent on Hamas chief's terror
Muslim group sues congressman for $2 million
Kucinich headlines Muslim fund-raiser
Dr. Laura: No apology to Muslims needed
Dr. Laura rebuked for 'anti-Muslim tirade'
FBI invites Muslim scholars to preach
Feds accused of 'siege' on American Muslims
Muslim-rights voice indicted in jihad plot
Americans charged in 'holy-war' plot
Muslims grooming candidates for 2004
Should Muslim Quran be USA's top authority?
Group forces censure for 'Islamophobia'
Muslims try to quash Bush nominee
University fires 'terror professor'
Muslims try to bar terror expert
American Islamic lobby gets out the vote
